Ignoring recent trends has been the message from Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith this past week, but reality arrived at Soldier Field on Sunday in the green-and-gold uniforms of the Green Bay Packers.
In a hard-fought first half, the Packers tied the game 7-7 with 4:19 left before intermission on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to James Jones, who beat Kelvin Hayden. The scoring drive covered 89 yards.
Brandon Marshall, who expressed his distaste for the Packers during the week, got the Bears on the scoreboard first on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler with 8:03 to play before halftime. It capped a six-play, 67-yard drive and put the Bears up 7-0.
The Packers' Mason Crosby missed a 43-yard field goal attempt wide right with 11:22 left in the second period. The first quarter was dominated by the defenses.
It was difficult to forget that the Bears had lost five straight to their NFC North rivals. Entering with an 8-5 record, the Bears also had lost four of their last five after an auspicious 7-1 start.
Behind coach Mike McCarthy, Green Bay positioned itself to possibly clinch the NFC North with a victory Sunday.
"A rivalry game, I don't have to say an awful lot more than that," Smith said of the division-leading Packers. "I know they're excited about coming down here. It has just been too long. Right now, as I continue to say, unfortunately we haven't held up our end of the deal with the rivalry. You've got to win some football games to really get that done. We know what's at stake."
Injuries could not be an excuse for the Bears, as the Packers had significant losses to injuries, as well.
Inactives for the Bears were Josh McCown, Tim Jennings, Geno Hayes, Henry Melton, Earl Bennett, Shea McClellin and Urlacher.
Green Bay inactives: Charles Woodson, James Starks, Terrell Manning, Donald Driver, D.J. Williams, Jordy Nelson and C.J. Wilson.
Rodgers came in with an 8-2 record against the Bears as a starter, with a passer rating of 96.8.
The Packers entered the game having won 11 straight division games.
fmitchell@tribune.com
Twitter@kicker34
2nd quarter: Bears 7, Packers 0
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2nd quarter: Bears 7, Packers 0
